What happens when the duty to save lives collides with the harsh reality of war? It is the haunting question at the centre of James Myles’ novel Is It Ever Right to Kill?. It is not a question with easy answers, and that is precisely why the story remains with readers long after the final page.
The novel introduces us to Robyn Rowbotham, a third-year medical student in London whose life takes a dramatic turn when her best friend Kat calls in hopelessness. Kat’s parents disappeared in Ukraine during the Russian attack, and she has no one else to turn to. For Robyn, the decision is devastating but immediate: she cannot ignore her friend’s request. She leaves behind her studies, her boyfriend, and her safe future to join the Ukrainian forces as a medic.
Robyn’s choice sets the stage for the novel’s central moral dilemma. As a medic, her role is to heal, to preserve life at all costs. However, the environment she steps into does not allow such simplicity. Training includes not only medical skills but also weapons practice. She learns to recognise incoming artillery and how to survive in the chaos of battle. Soon, she is confronted with the uncomfortable truth that saving lives in a war zone can sometimes mean standing alongside those who take them.
This tension is what makes Is It Ever Right to Kill? more than a gripping piece of war fiction. It is also a moral inquiry. Can killing ever be justified if it prevents greater harm? Can a healer remain untouched by the violence around her? Robyn’s story refuses to provide an organised resolution. Instead, it places readers inside the struggle, forcing them to struggle with the same questions she faces.
The novel also sharpens this conflict through contrasting voices. Peter, Robyn’s partner, urges her to stay in Britain, arguing that her duty is to complete her studies and become a doctor at home. His logic is sound, but it clashes with Robyn’s belief that true loyalty means standing by Kat, even at the risk of her own life. This clash of perspectives underscores the complexity of the moral question; what looks like recklessness to one person may feel like justice to another.
By blending the personal and the political, the novel turns abstract ethics into lived experience. The missile attacks, the stolen supplies, the camaraderie of fellow medics, and the hopelessness of the wounded all serve to remind us that war does not deal in absolutes. It demands choices in shades of grey.
In the end, Is It Ever Right to Kill? does not dictate what the “right” answer is. Instead, it offers a story that entertains, challenges, and unsettles in equal measure. It is a book that invites reflection on one of humanity’s oldest and most difficult questions, and leaves it to readers to decide where they stand.
For those seeking a novel that combines gripping storytelling with thoughtful moral reflection, James Myles’ Is It Ever Right to Kill? is a book you will not want to miss.
Get your copy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1917399677.
